Can You Use Solar Panels on Metal Buildings?
Solar energy solutions are quickly becoming a common alternative to fossil fuels, which are very often used to power metal buildings in the agricultural sector. Agricultural solar panels, otherwise known as Photovoltaic Panels, are a great tool for farm-owners to harvest more affordable, efficient, and clean energy, but can they be used on metal buildings?
In this article, we answer the question, can you use solar panels on metal buildings? And discuss the factors you should consider before installing metal roof solar panels.
Can you use Solar Panels for Farm Buildings Made of Metal?
Yes! Metal farm buildings offer the perfect conditions for agricultural solar panels, and will allow you to collect a noticeable amount of energy in a relatively short period of time.
The pitch angle of the roofs of metal buildings tends to be far lower than traditional roofs, which allows more surface area for UV rays to directly penetrate.
Furthermore, installing metal roof solar panels is far easier than it is on traditional roofing, and metal roofs have the advantage of a longer lifespan compared to traditional roofs.
So you will receive a far higher quantifiable result from agricultural solar panels on metal roofs.
So, What’s the Problem with Solar Panels on Metal Buildings?
As is with the installation of any energy-generating equipment, there are a few things you should consider and assess before installing solar energy solutions on your metal buildings. Your building may not be quite up to standard for various reasons, including ill-handling of excessive weight and inefficient directional positioning.
Aspects to Consider About Metal Roofs and Solar Panels
- Installation Techniques
The three types of techniques employed when installing solar panels on metal buildings are drilling, clipping, and sticking. Drilling and clipping are often used for crystalline panels, which tend to be far heavier than their alternative, and require much sturdier installation procedures.
Sticking is used for Laminate solar panels, which are extremely lightweight and only require strong adhesives to peel and stick to your metal roofing.
- Types of Panels
As mentioned above, there are two types of solar panels for farm buildings that you could choose from. Crystalline and Laminate. The main difference between the two is their weight, which is far heavier for Crystalline panels, but another difference is that one is more efficient than the other.
Crystalline panels are more energy efficient than Laminate panels, and would be more suitable for farms with larger metal buildings. But they’re also more expensive, and their weight makes them unsuitable for metal roofing that isn’t designed to accommodate the additional weight of solar panels.
Assessing the handling capabilities of your roof will help you determine which type of solar panel would be best for you.
- Directional Positoning
In the UK, solar panels are most effective when positioned south and tilted at an angle of 35 degrees from the horizontal. This positioning and angle will allow for optimal performance all year round, and ensure your energy is harvested efficiently.
If your metal building hasn’t been constructed with this fact in mind, you may struggle to achieve a worthy amount of energy from any type of solar panel installed on its roof.
How can Kit Buildings Direct help?
Here at Kit Buildings Direct, we can help you design and install new metal buildings to allow you to install solar energy solutions on your farm. If you’re interested in constructing a metal building for your agricultural property, please don’t hesitate to contact us now!
